


The Treasure of Victor Trevor

by wannabesirACD



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Captain John Watson, Consulting Detective Sherlock Holmes - Freeform, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pirate AU, Pirate John Watson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-07 06:26:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14074893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wannabesirACD/pseuds/wannabesirACD
Summary: Captain John Watson sails the seven seas searching for adventure and, usually, a bit of coin. One fateful evening, his protege Peter 'stumbles' across a hidden page that had been ripped out of a book, and the captain and his ship unknowingly get caught up in a murder case that Consulting Detective Sherlock Holmes is determined to solve.





	The Treasure of Victor Trevor

Shore leave wasn't the plan, but it was difficult to deny his men of the... _luxuries_ of London, however few those may seem. So long as they stayed low and didn't get into too much trouble, John let them do as they pleased. He gave them a date and let them wander the city to their hearts content, spending however much money they earned on their voyage, and if they weren't on the boat by sunrise of that given date, they stayed.

John, however, knew better than to roam the streets. He knew better than to think he was unnoticeable. Which was why, when his newest recruit ran into the open tavern on the harbor hours before the crew was due on the ship, John was there, sitting at a wooden table in a dimly lit corner, drinking from a tankard.

Peter glanced around the room desperately and looked relieved when he saw his Captain sitting in the corner, just like he promised. "You go run along and play," he'd told Pete as they walked off the ship, "You'll find me at Finny's Tavern, if ya like." Find him Peter did.

He rushed over and John lifted his good leg instinctively, letting the young kid dive underneath the table. He rested the heel of his leather boot on the wood floor and, with his good arm, draped the navy blue cloak that covered his bad left shoulder over his right leg, working as a makeshift curtain for the boy and a "blanket" for John. John tilted down the front of his black gambler hat to shield his face and leaned his head back against the wall, pretending to be asleep.

Just then, someone barged into the tavern. The door hit the wall with a loud thud, and save from a bit of rustling, John pretended to still be a drunkard sleeping. Well, perhaps just sleeping, considering the ale he's drank tonight.

"What the-?" Someone huffed, breathing heavily from running, no doubt. John heard hard leather boots walking with purpose across the creaking wood floor, looking under empty tables. Something solid hit his hip and leg as he walked, likely a sheathed officer's sword. The man growled, "Bastard child thief."

He stormed off with a huff, and after a moment or so John dared to peek out from under the bill of his black soft gambler. The man was gone.

"Right, boy," John prompted, pushing his cape off his good leg. John lifted his leg and the boy crawled out from under it. "Mind explaining what that was all about?"

Peter cautiously went over to the door and peeked out, looking for the man, then closed the door and jogged back over to John. He sat down next to John at the table, and John raised an eyebrow and adjusted his gambler.

"I was lookin' at things in a bookstore in Central London," Peter grinned, "and I found this." He dug his fingers underneath his tattered leather coat and fished out a folded piece of parchment.

"What were you doing in a bookstore this late?" John questioned skeptically, holding a hand out to the boy. Peter placed the paper in John's hands, and John started to unfold it. It looked like the paper was torn out of something, maybe a book, because only one edge was rough and jagged. 

"Some nit - the owner, me thinks - was passed out with it hidden in his desk drawer! I was expectin' a bit of coin, but instead I found that." Peter urged in a hushed whisper, sitting up a bit straighter, more confident. "Dumb cock didn't even notice me." John could tell the boy was thrilled.

"I asked why you were there, boy." John repeated, giving Peter a pointed look, and when Peter started to stumble on his words John sighed. "If you were stealin' books, you should've come to me. Though, I suppose mine don't have pretty pictures."

"W-What?" Peter stuttered, surprised. "You _read_ , Cap'n?" A look of horror passed over his face when John tilted his head slightly and gave him a daring look. "I-I mean- I didn't mean it like-"

"I know, lad." John smirked softly, "I'm just toyin' with ya. Don't shit your pants, you don't have time to buy new ones." Peter glared for a moment and John chuckled. "But yes, I read, and I can tell you you're not going to learn it without some help."

"Will you help me? I already know a lot of words!" Peter asked hopefully.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Peter," John sighed, "but you know enough to answer that question."

Peter frowned, a bit frustrated, and John rolled his eyes. "I'll cut you a deal. I'll teach you on shore leaves, but that's it. No more-"

"No less?" Peter challenged. John begrudgingly nodded. Peter grinned cockily and held out a hand. "Deal." John shook it firmly, and when they let each other's hands go, Peter motioned to the paper. "So, what do you think? He had to hide it for a reason, right?"

Finally looking down at the piece of paper Peter handed him, John studied what was written. The words on the page were hand written, and at first they didn't make much sense, but the longer John looked it over the more he noticed a pattern. Peter was watching him intently, lips slightly parted in a smile. John glanced over and offered the boy a nod of approval.

"Not bad, Pete. You were right." John praised. "I suggest you keep out of trouble, though. 'Least for now. Rather not have the Queen's men beat us to wherever this leads."

"'Course, Cap'n, of course." Peter beamed. "I'll make a cap'n yet, ey?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself." John folded up the piece of paper and tucked it into his coat's inner pocket underneath the cloak that draped over his left shoulder and arm. "You've got to make it to apprenticeship first."

Peter rolled his eyes and stood up, and John grabbed his cane that was leaning against the arm of his chair. With a grunt of effort John stood up and limped with Peter back to the ship. Well, after John checked outside to make sure no Yarders were scouting the place for Peter, of course.

He didn't notice the man tracking _him_ , however.

**Author's Note:**

> At the moment I have snippets of what I want to happen, but otherwise I'm winging it. For those that don't know:  
> Soft gambler = think cowboy hat but less flamboyant  
> Finny's Tavern = reference to a fictional tavern in a completely different universe. If you know it, we are now friends :)


End file.
